I think one of my favourite part about books/reading in general is the community that grows and connects around a piece of writing. I'm always intrigued to find out which books are lining my friends' shelves or traveling around in their backpacks, especially if they're books with which I have a connection. A book in common is an instant bond...
So...what am I reading? Stick around and see....

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Out of the Salt Shaker and Into the World - Chapter 2

Jesus commands us to go and then preach, not to preach and then leave. (p. 30, paragraph 3)--> Yes, he does. People are people, not projects, so let's treat them all that way.

Under the heading "Jesus the Exasperating" there are some insightful comments about a passage that we were discussing just tonight in a group study (Luke 4:13-30). The puzzling question was: Why does Jesus give this people such an earful while they're sitting there, stunned about his teaching? Pippert's answer: Jesus is calling them to look honestly at something within themselves that they're trying to avoid, and that gets them all pissy.

Also, at the bottom of pg. 38, there's the reminder of the problem with the "safe" (but ultimately dangerous!) school of thought that Jesus was a good teacher, but not the Son of God. Referencing C.S. Lewis and John Stott's similar comments on the point, Pippert reiterates that this view collapes in upon itself: how can Jesus be a good teacher if the fundamental thing that he's teaching is a bunch of hooey?